A soft light drifts through the windows of George and Mary Simon's comfortable living room, inside a well appointed home, as the couple, both 27, sit peacefully on their sofa, Mary cradling one-week old Gianna on her lap.

Gianna is the object of their affection and is the picture of a healthy newborn. She is also what might be described as an organic baby.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Mary Simons holds her newborn, Gianna, at their home in Elizabeth City on Wednesday.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Newborn Gianna Simons was brought into this world as a chemical-free, organic baby. Her parents, George and Mary Simons, are dedicated to a healthy, organic lifestyle.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Mary Simons (left) and her husband, George, (right) are raising their newborn, Gianna, completely on organic foods and products.

The Simons moved to Elizabeth City from Ft. Meyers, Fla., following family members who also settled here from elsewhere, finding it a good place to raise a family. They are both former mortgage brokers but now own the Organic Food Depot, formerly Natures Bounty, yet they are not what some might think of as "tree huggers," or "granolas," or even hippie "freaks."

In fact, both mother and father had recently been the object of such epithets shortly after Gianna was born. As a result of what they describe as educated decisions to bring their child into the world chemical free, at least one physician and a nurse, they say, confronted them with this sort of derisive language.

The couple had determined well before the baby was born that they would opt out of newborn vaccinations and the antibiotic eye ointment that is common these days, and compulsory under North Carolina law. They also determined they would use chlorine-free diapers — they are brown, not white — and other organic products; and they were insistent that Gianna stay with them from the moment she came into the world and not be taken to a nursery in the hospital where she was born.

The decision to opt out of vaccinations came after much research, says Mary with a very determined look in her eyes, emphasizing her sincerity. There is currently much controversy over vaccinations and the preservatives used in them, specifically concerns that autism may be linked to them at early stages in a child's life.

While there is no official direct link currently between autism and vaccinations, a recent court ruling in Georgia awarding a family compensation in a case surrounding the debate, left the question largely unanswered for concerned parents like the Simons.

The language in the ruling of the recent Georgia case does say the government concluded that vaccines appear to have contributed to a rare condition that resulted in a brain disorder, according to a story first published earlier this month in the Atlanta Journal Constitution (see story on page 3C).

As Gianna sleeps peacefully in her mother's arms, Mary Simons says that it is apparent the jury is still out on the question of the link. She says, and is supported by a number of articles on the subject, that no independent studies have been conducted to prove or disprove the link. The only studies currently available are from the drug companies that manufacture the vaccines, and they claim their products are safe.

"I couldn't find anything as a parent that made me comfortable," says Mary.

According to the Center for Disease Control, one in 150 children have autism. And while the number of children with the disorder has been growing according to the CDC study, the health organization will not contend that there is a link to vaccines and their preservatives, as many groups are claiming.

But don't get the Simons wrong. They're not wholly against vaccinations; they just maintain that there are enough safety concerns that compel them to take this course of action.

"You have to be educated about these things," says Mary. "I'm not saying you should just go out and do these things."

The Simons say they knew they would run afoul of health care professionals. But they say that while their methods are not a part of societal orthodoxy, they are a part of a growing trend to introduce more organic, holistic approaches to a child's life that, they say, promote a healthier lifestyle all around.

Their experience, at least, speaks to their assertions that eschewing a chemical-laden life has positive results.

George and Mary started on their journey toward an organic life when they had determined that George, who was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, needed to get off a growing dosage of medication. They discovered that testimonials about one organic diet known as The Maker's Diet, suggested that many people with similar diagnosis were finding themselves drug-free thanks to the diet.

"We had heard about studies about food additives and dyes and links to ADD and ADHD," says Mary. "He wanted to get off the meds and it worked."

George also lost 65 pounds over a five-month period. And he now finds that he eats less because, he says, he is eating whole, organic foods that tend to satisfy his body more. The couple started off by going to organic meats and dairy — they are not vegetarians — and eventually moved to produce as well.

"I noticed that I was more focused and my energy levels improved and my portion sizes got smaller," says George, who made the transition from the drug Aderol to an organic diet partly under a physician's supervision.

They also, through their own research, learned about the various hormones and antibiotics pumped into animals to produce higher meat and dairy yields. And these chemicals, they say, leach into the human body when meat and dairy are consumed, and there are growing concerns about the adverse effects these have on the human body, especially in children.

And then there are textiles. Yes, textiles also come with a hazard these days, say the Simons.

"I was shocked to find out they were allowed to spray cotton with things our food can't be sprayed with," says Mary.

So George and Mary Simons were well into their new organic lifestyle when Mary discovered she was pregnant. And that's when, Mary says, they determined that everything they did would have to reflect a desire to give Gianna a chemical-free entrée into the world. "I think I was even more cautious," says Mary of her organic lifestyle once she became pregnant.

Even eating out with friends concerned the mother-to-be. She says while she wanted to be gracious when invited out with friends, she had to be careful in restaurants because she truly wanted to consume only safe food.

She also researched dietary recommendations for pregnant women and determined that a higher protein diet would be necessary to aid the pregnancy. And there were other factors such as supplements like fish oil that aided her during those crucial months of pregnancy.

And the couple also found products such as the chlorine-free diapers, organic cotton clothing, diapers and bedding and even natural hygiene-care products.

"There is a huge trend," says Mary. "Babies R Us has a line and even glass bottles are coming back."

That's right, glass bottles are making a comeback, especially with parents like the Simons who are concerned about certain chemicals from plastics leaching into their baby's milk or formula — there is also organic formula available for those who are not breast feeding their children.

According to a February 2008 article in the magazine Scientific America, Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a compound used in the production of plastics and it may be cause for concern for people using plastics for cups, bottles and the like. The concern is BPA leaches into liquids and food and breaks down into the body, potentially mimicking the human hormone estrogen and possibly promoting breast cancer cell growth.

To look at the Simons, it's easy to see they're not what might be considered stereotypical organic types. But then, the organic type appears to be changing with the times.

Like the Simons, they are typically urban professionals who have turned to this alternative lifestyle out of a concern for their health, and even the health of the planet.

And they are not alone on their organic journey. According to the Organic Trade Association, organic baby product sales are growing each year. The association reports a jump in organic baby-care product sales from $12 million in 2005 to $15 million in 2006; they also note that organic baby food jumped from $206 million in 2005 to $235 million in 2006.

As Mary Simons cradles a sleeping Gianna, George looks at the baby with the awe of a first-time parent, his eyes lighting up as he smiles at the infant. The couple makes it clear that while they began this journey prior to Mary's pregnancy, their choices are made out of love for this new child, and, they say, informed decisions.

And they make it clear that neither of them are eschewing traditional medical care and would never think twice about taking their child to the doctor or to the hospital if necessary. They have, however, found a pediatrician who they say agrees with their decisions and takes a "holistic" approach to practicing pediatric medicine.

Both mother and father are comfortable with their choices and make clear that while they believe it is the right thing to do, neither of them would have launched into this major lifestyle change without first having read a great deal about the subject. They encourage anyone concerned about how chemicals affect their lives to learn as much about the subject as possible.

"Start researching. Start reading," says Mary.

"And take the initiative to learn what we're putting into kids' bodies," adds George.